A Familiar Story
by Ster J
Summary: The birth of Spock and Christine’s first child held some starting parallels to another birth so very long ago.


Title: A Familiar Story

Author: Ster Julie

Codes: TOS; S/Ch

Rating: PG

Part 1 of 1

Summary: The birth of Spock and Christine's first child held some starting parallels to another birth so very long ago.

A/N: Written in response to a challenge to write a story including verses from the Gospel of Luke.

Dedicated in memory of Bishop Terry-- I think she might have liked this one.

--ooOoo--

_Luke 2:1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child._

"Tell me again, Spock, why you thought this trip was necessary?" Christine Chapel _aduna_ Spock said as she shifted her oh-so-pregnant form in the shuttle seat. Again. She sighed in disgust as the comfortable position she found only lasted until she realized that she had to empty her bladder. Again.

Spock reached out one hand to help her as he tried to pilot the shuttle around an ion storm with the other.

"We had to go to Vulcan to formally register our marriage before the child's birth," Spock patiently repeated. "Otherwise, the child would not be fully accepted into the clan."

"You mean they would have labeled the baby a bastard because they thought we've only been shacking up?" Christine interjected while she tried to squeeze her bulk into the tiny water closet.

"No," Spock explained. "They would have banned _us _from the clan."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning the clan could have taken the baby from us since we obviously had poor judgment and put our base needs first," Spock clarified.

"It doesn't matter that this baby was forced on us on Platonius," Christine fumed, "and that you were gallant enough to bond with me so I wouldn't have to go through this pregnancy alone and..."

"And you should retake your seat immediately, _aduna_," he cautioned. "We need to land without delay."

"But where are we?" Christine countered as she strapped herself into the nearest seat.

"Hold on. This will be a rough landing," Spock warned. "Brace for impart!"

Christine barely had the time to pull the mesh harness over her when the planet came up to greet them with a hard thud. She screamed and clutched at her swollen belly as warm fluid puddle beneath her.

"_Spock!"_

--ooOoo--

_Luke 2:6 While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn._

Spock initiated an emergency shut-down of all systems before seeing to his wife. It would have been unseemly to come to her aid immediately only to have the shuttle explode around them. He grabbed the emergency medical kit from beside the door as he made his way to her.

"The shuttle is intact and will protect us," Spock said in calming tones. "Are you bleeding? Did you hit your head?"

"No," Christine panted, "but the hard landing broke my water. Spock, can the shuttle fly again? Otherwise, you will have to deliver this baby."

Spock cast a cursory glance around the shuttle. "Alone, I estimate that it will take more than three hours to do a full systems check," he said.

Christine's face contorted in pain. "We don't have three hours," she gasped. "How about the comm system? Can you call for help?"

Spock returned to the controls and fiddled with the toggles and circuits. Finally, he opened a small lid and mashed the button within.

"Communications are out," he reported, "so I activated the emergency beacon."

Spock moved to the rear seats, reconfigured them into a cot and covered them with blankets from the emergency kit. "Come," he said as he lifted his wife. "I will make you more comfortable."

Spock tenderly helped Christine out of her wet clothes and settled her on the makeshift bed. He was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"_Aduna_?" he asked.

"Oh, Spock," she sobbed. "I'm sorry you were burdened with me."

It was already an old argument. Spock cupped his wife's face with both hands.

"Christine," he said firmly, "I am _not _burdened. The Platonians may have forced us together, but I chose you as my _aduna_ freely. Nor is the baby a burden. Believe me when I say that the baby is a blessing. Now, I need you to focus. I will need your guidance for the delivery. The baby needs you to remain calm. Can you do that?"

Christine blinked away her tears and nodded. Spock pressed gentle lips to hers before releasing her face. He slid his hands to her belly and assessed the baby's mental state, sending the infant soothing, reassuring thoughts.

.

Three hours and several anxious moments later, the sound of a newborn's lusty cries filled the shuttle. Spock silently held the child up for Christine to see, too choked up to trust his voice.

"A boy!" she breathed.

Spock lowered their son to his wife's belly and tended to the umbilical cord as Christine rubbed and wiped the baby clean.

The baby was washed and placed at Christine's breast. Spock delivered his wife of the afterbirth and cleaned up. Only then could he permit himself to collapse in an emotional heap next to his little family. Christine carded her fingers through Spock's hair gentlly.

"You did a good job, 'Daddy,'" she soothed. "Come meet your son."

--ooOoo--

_8 Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. 9 The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. 10 The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." _

_*Bam*Bam*Bam*_

"Hullo, Starfleet!"

The loud banging on the hull repeated.

"Is anyone in there?" the voice continued. "Are ye hurt?"

Spock opened the heat shield over the front viewport and craned his neck to see who was outside. He saw a large, fur-covered hominid surrounded by smaller, furry mounds.

"Identify yourself," he ordered.

"Angus MacTavish 's me name," he said, "an' if ye make a smart remark aboot it, ye'll be havin' no help from me."

"What sort of animals are those?" Spock called through the door.

"They're me heard," the man announced. "They'll be no bother."

Spock looked at his wife and child and debated. He did not knowman nor the sort of creatures that accompanied him. However, if this man had a functioning comm. system, he could summon the ship and help could arrive sooner. Spock deemed it worth the risk and opened the door.

The very _human_ male not only sounded like Mr. Scott, he looked to be an older, heavier version of their chief engineer. Angus MacTavish stood knee deep in a herd of what looked to be furry boulders.

"Are ye all right in there?" MacTavish asked.

Spock nodded dumbly as a sneaking suspicion came over him. He pointed to the animals.

"Are those…?" He was afraid to complete the question.

"Tribbles?" MacTavish finished for him. "Aye. They're standard sized tribbles.

Spock was still puzzled. "The tribbles that infested our ship were no bigger than twenty centimeters," he explained.

MacTavish's shaggy brows shot up. "Those puny, tea-cup things?" he interjected. "Bah! They're ruinin' the market."

"'Ruining the market'?" Spock repeated, leery. "You make a living off the tribbles?"

MacTavish looked at Spock as if he was daft. "Well, Ah don't heard the beasties for warmth."

Spock looked at the man askance.

"Ah rent them out for weed abatement," MacTavish continued. "Ah don't sell them fer food, an' Ah only take their pelt after they die a nat'ral death." MacTavish looked over to where Christine and the baby were resting. He pulled something white and soft from his pack. "Here," he said, handing the fur to Spock, "fer the wee one."

Spock took the pelt and muttered his gratitude as his mind worked on many questions. He estimated the herd to be about sixty, uh, head.

"How do you control the population of your herd?" he asked.

"Och, tha's easy," the herder explained. "Do ye ken what ye get when you feed a tribble too much starch?"

"More tribbles," stated Spock with conviction.

"Aye," MacTavish responded. " 'Cept tribs prefer plants, green, leafy things. When Ah need to replace some, I feed _one_ tribble a handful of grain."

Biology lesson over, MacTavish turned to leave. "Well, since ye don't need me, Ah'll be going."

"Wait!" Spock said quickly. "Our communication system is out. Do you have the ability to contact our ship?"

"Aye, tha' was a bad tumble you made from the sky," the herder commented, "comin' doon like a shootin' star." MacTavish reached into his pack and withdrew a large communicator. "This will connect with m'unit at home. What's yer call name?" he said, looking at he shuttle. MacTavish's eyes grew wide at the name USS_ Enterprise_ emblazoned on the hull.

"_Enterprise_?" he said with alarm. "Ah'll nae be calling _tha'_ ship! Monty Scott still claims Ah owe him money."

"Please," Spock pleaded. "My wife has just given birth to a son and they both need to be seen by medical personnel as quickly as possible."

MacTavish shook his shaggy head.

Spock added, "I will pay Mister Scott whatever it is you owe, just allow me to use your communicator."

MacTavish deliberated, looking from Spock's determined eyes to Christine and the child and back. He muttered something about getting soft in his old age handed over the device to the Vulcan.

Spock moved to the front of the shuttle and spoke for several minutes. Meanwhile, MacTavish drew closer to where Christine and the baby were resting.

"What a sweet, bonnie babe ye have there, Missus," he murmured.

Christine smiled in replied. "That he is," she whispered happily.

Spock returned to the group and handed the communicator back to MacTavish.

"Mister Scott would like a word with you," Spock said.

"Would he, now," MacTavish said, backing away from the device as if it was a viper.

"MacTavish, you pirate!" Scott roared from the communicator.

"Well, Ah best be goin,'" MacTavish said as he grabbed the communicator, snapped it shut, backed out of the shuttle and scurried away.

Christine chuckled at the sight.

"How soon will help arrive?" she asked.

"Mister Scott estimated four hours because of the lingering effects of the ion storm," Spock reported.

"Which means they'll be here in two," she countered.

"More than likely," Spock said as he gathered his son into his arms. The baby burrowed against his father's warmth.

"What shall we name him?" Christine asked. Spock grew quiet. "Honey?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"

"The clan names the child," he responded at last. "Is that acceptable to you?"

Christine pondered. "As long as it is something I can pronounce, I guess that will be fine." she said at last. "But could we give him a middle name at least, something special to us? I mean, just look at him. With that sweet face and blonde hair, I just want to call him 'Sunny'!"

Spock fingered a golden curl. He knew that Christine was not a natural blonde, but where did his son's hair genes originate? He would have to ask his mother. As for naming the boy "Sunny"…

"Do you have another name?" Christine interrupted Spock's musings. "Your records only have one name listed."

Spock thought about the sad reasons that was so.

"That is an involved story, one I do not wish to relate at this time," he said softly.

"Oh."

"But as to my middle name…"

"You have a middle name?" Christine asked in surprise.

Spock nodded as he stroked his son's warm cheek. He was filled with wonder that he, as a hybrid, could sire a child at all. Even with medical intervention it was a wonder that Sarek and Amanda ever conceived him.

"It is not customary on Vulcan, but my mother insisted on giving me a name as well," Spock explained.

"And?"

"And what?"

"And what name did your mother give you?" she asked with exasperation.

The baby chose that moment to begin to wail.

"Hand me whatever is left of the emergency kit," Christine ordered as she reached to take the baby.

Spock handed her the bag with the remains of the supplies then proceeded to unload one of the utility drawers near Christine's cot. He lined the empty drawer with the with the fluffy tribble pelt. He laid his freshly diapered son—who was now swaddled in Spock's blue uniform shirt—in the box and said, "Wonderful."

"What's wonderful?" Christine asked.

"Loosely translated," Spock replied, my middle name, _Teshan_, means 'wonderful."

Christine chucked her husband under the chin gently and said, "Well, Spock Teshan, I think you're pretty terrific myself."

--ooOoo--

_Matthew 2: 9b-12 And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way. _

The shuttle was suddenly awash in light. The thrumming of multiple shuttles vibrated through the small space.

"Attention in the shuttle," they heard through the hull. "We are searching for a place to land. We will affect rescue at once. Acknowledge."

Spock went to the front port and raised and lowered the heat shield in response.

Soon there was a banging on the hull. Spock opened the hatch and signaled for quiet as McCoy, Sulu and Med Tech Mkemba entered carrying food, blankets and medical supplies.

"Mister Scott has a crew checking the shuttle and preparing it for towing back to the ship," Sulu reported. "We'll need to move you to one of the others shuttles for transport."

"Understood," Spock responded.

"Well, hello!" McCoy crooned at the sight of the baby. "Oochie woochie coochie coo!"

Spock was gratified to hear an annoyed response from his son. He went to rescue his howling baby from the doctor.

"Uh-uh, 'Daddy,'" McCoy protested.

Spock pulled himself up testily. "It's '_samekh_,'" he corrected.

"Whatever," McCoy countered. "I'll hold the baby. You carry your wife."

Spock brushed two fingers across his son's brow. The baby calmed immediately. "Make sure you bring the fur," he ordered the bemused doctor. Spock then turned to Christine and scooped her into his arms. Sulu and Mkemba helped them and the doctor with the baby from the damaged craft and into one of the other shuttles.

Soon the damaged shuttle was tethered with tractor beams to three intact craft and the four of them rose as one from the planet on their way back to the _Enterprise._

.

From his hiding place on the side of the hill, Angus MacTavish gaped in wonder at the sight of the linked shuttles rising into the sky like a reversed shooting star. But his awe soon turned to dread as the voice of an angry fellow Scot boomed from one of the shuttles, "MacTavish, you blaggart!" bellowed Scotty. "Where's my money?"

.

_Luke 2:19 And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. _

When Spock had reported the birth of the boy to his family, he was informed that he and Christine could choose their own name for their son. Spock quickly registered the boy's Vulcan name as Teshan _cha_ Spock _cha_ Sarek, and his human name as Shawn Chapel.

Christine gazed down at her son's sleeping form. Both she and the baby had checked out at 4A. She and Spock agreed to never mention again the manner in which he was conceived, preferring instead to focus only on the wonder of his birth. Yes her little Sunny was a wonder, from the manner of his birth to all the little details surrounding the event. But something nagged at the back of Christine's mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had read a story similar to this long ago….

-END-


End file.
